Control Of Fixing Patents (Class 399/67)
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Patent number: 10416595Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control circuit having a plurality of semiconductor elements configured to perform switching between ON and OFF of a plurality of heat generating blocks, and a power interrupting unit configured to be activated so as to interrupt power being supplied to the plurality of semiconductor elements when a heater overheats. Of the plurality of semiconductor elements, a first semiconductor element to supply power to a first heat generating block, is connected, in series, to a second semiconductor element to supply power to a second heat generating block. In addition, when the power interrupting unit is not activated, the second heat generating block is controlled by controlling only the second semiconductor element, and, when the power interrupting unit is not activated, the first heat generating block is controlled by controlling the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2018Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryota Ogura, Yuji Fujiwara, Yasuhiro Shimura
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Patent number: 10365600Abstract: A belt deviation correction device for correcting a deviation of an endless belt wound around a plurality of rollers includes a pressing roller that is pressed from outside the endless belt wound around the plurality of rollers. The pressing roller is configured to swing in such a way as to be inclined with respect to the plurality of rollers. A deviation of the endless belt in a direction of an axis of rotation of the plurality of rollers is corrected by swinging the pressing roller.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kimihide Tsukamoto
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Patent number: 10353313Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming component that forms an image on a recording medium by using a white color material and a color material other than the white color material, and a controller that controls a color material amount of the white color material to differ depending on a position where an image that uses the white color material is formed in order of formation of images that use respective color materials in the image forming component.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Kaori Iwaki, Masahiko Kubo, Ayako Watanabe, Kaoru Yamauchi, Yosuke Tashiro
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Patent number: 10338503Abstract: A fixing apparatus including a rotary member in which a generatrix direction thereof is substantially parallel to a generatrix direction of a film, the rotary member being provided between the film and a cover member such that a gap is formed between the film and the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masafumi Maeda, Masaki Tanaka
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Patent number: 10300728Abstract: A heat roller 18 includes a roller body 25 and a halogen lamp 26, the roller body 25 is a hollow cylinder constituted of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and a thermal conversion efficiency of light from the halogen lamp 26 is not less than 70%. A printing apparatus includes the heat roller 18 disposed at a downstream side in a conveyance direction of a conveyance path for a printing medium than a printing unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2018Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventors: Takaharu Yamamoto, Junichi Shimizu, Shinsuke Yamashita
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Patent number: 10295945Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a fixing section that fixes a toner image formed on a sheet. A controller controls a preliminary rotation of the fixing section after execution of a first image forming job and before execution of a second image forming job. Conditions for the preliminary rotation include types of sheets used in the first image forming job and the second image forming job, respectively, and a number of sheets used in executing the first image forming job.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hirotaka Matsumoto
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Patent number: 10241454Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first fixing member; a second fixing member; a holding member; a cam member; an urging member; a spring member; a drive source; a transmission section; a regulating member; and a controller. The cam member is rotatable about an axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction. The spring member has one end portion movable in interlocking relation with the cam member and another end portion whose movement is regulated by the regulating member. The spring member suppresses rotation of the cam member in the first direction while storing a restoring force by the rotation of the cam member in the first direction; and facilitates rotation of the cam member in the second direction while releasing the restoring force by the rotation of the cam member in the second direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2018Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shota Shinoya, Yasuhiro Suzuki
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Patent number: 10228641Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes determination means for determining a size of an image forming area of a medium, heating means for including an endless rotating body, plural heat-generating members which are formed in a perpendicular direction to a transport direction and divided by a predetermined length, and are disposed so as to come into contact with an inner side of the rotating body, and a switching unit which switches individual conduction of these heat-generating members, and heats the medium, pressing means for forming a nip by performing pressing and contact at a position of the plural heat-generating members, and nipping and carrying the medium in the transport direction along with the heating means, and heating control means for controlling the switching unit to select and conduct heat-generating members and controlling the heating means to heat the medium.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2015Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Osamu Takagi
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Patent number: 10222728Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating body, a pressuring body, a lateral plate supporting the heating or pressuring body, a first supporting body supporting the heating or pressuring body, a second supporting body including a roller, a tensile spring between the first and second supporting bodies, an eccentric cam, a rotating shaft, a protrusion, a driving part, and a pressing member. The cam is supported between the first and second supporting bodies swingable in the lateral plate and has a depression gradually inclined from an upstream side to a downstream side in a rotation direction. The protrusion is protruded from the rotating shaft and meets the depression. The pressing member presses the cam opposite the protrusion. The cam rotates and meets the roller to shift the second supporting body and to extend and contract the spring, and changes a nip pressure from a first pressure to a lower second pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Shota Onishi, Masuo Kawamoto
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Patent number: 10209653Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a heat roller configured to heat a sheet with heat generated by a plurality of heat generating elements and a controller configured to control a current supplied to the heat generating elements from an AC power supply. The controller controls a timing at which the current flows or does not flow to the heat generating elements according to a first set of control parameters, such that a total of a first sum of estimated absolute value magnitudes of a positive polarity current flowing to the heat generating elements during one duty cycle and a second sum of estimated absolute value magnitudes of a negative polarity current flowing to the heat generating elements during the one duty cycle, is lower when the heat generating elements are controlled according to the first set relative when the heat generating elements are controlled according to other sets.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2018Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroyuki Fuse
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Patent number: 10197956Abstract: According to embodiments, an image forming apparatus includes a fixation member, a pressurization member, a heat source, a drive unit, a measurement unit, and a control unit. The measurement unit measures the time that elapses after the image forming apparatus ends image forming processing until the image forming apparatus receives an instruction to perform the next image forming processing. If the elapsed time does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the control unit causes the drive unit to start to drive the fixation member after a temperature of the fixation member reaches a first control temperature. If the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined threshold, the control unit causes the drive unit to start to drive the fixation member after the temperature of the fixation member reaches a second control temperature that is higher than the first control temperature.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keiji Yuge
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Patent number: 10185275Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image forming section; a fixing device; an input section; a storage section which stores a target temperature of the fixing device in a case of carrying out the fixing processing and a target temperature of the fixing device in a case of carrying out the erasing processing; and a control section which controls to read out lower one of the target temperature of the fixation and the target temperature of the erasure from the storage section to set the lower one to the target temperature of the fixing device in a case in which the processing information of the fixing processing and the erasing processing is input by the input section and the processing is continuously carried out, and drive the fixing device via the driving section at a driving speed corresponding to each of the fixing processing and the erasing processing.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2018Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Toshiyuki Ueno
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Patent number: 10082756Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a toner-image fixer that fixes an unfixed toner image on a sheet by conveying the sheet while heating and pressing the sheet at a fixing nip; a pressing force changer that changes a pressing force against the sheet at the fixing nip; and a hardware processor that controls the toner-image fixer and the pressing force changer, in which when a conveying speed of the sheet is changed by controlling the toner-image fixer, the hardware processor causes the conveying speed to change in a state in which the pressing force is decreased by controlling the pressing force changer.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Hajime Kawakami
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Patent number: 10067451Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body and a fixing unit. The fixing unit is attachable to and detachable from the main body. The fixing unit includes a heating roller, a pressure roller, and a pressing member. The pressing member presses the pressure roller against the heating roller. The main body includes a cam and a slope member. The cam changes a pressing state of the pressing member. The slope member guides a lower end of the pressing member to a topmost part of the cam in attachment of the fixing unit to the main body.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2018Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Takeshi Iketani
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Patent number: 10069435Abstract: The power supply apparatus configured to supply power to a load includes a control unit that corrects a power amount calculated by a power calculation unit based on a first voltage of an AC power supply calculated by a voltage calculation unit when the power amount is calculated, and a second voltage of the AC power supply calculated by the voltage calculation unit when a switching unit is controlled to start power supply to a power supply and a first transformer from the AC power supply.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masatoshi Itoh
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Patent number: 10061238Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fuser configured to fuse printing paper where a toner has been developed; and a fuser driver configured to provide power being provided from an external AC to a heating element inside the fuser so that the fuser has a predetermined temperature, wherein, in response to an operational state of the image forming apparatus being at a waiting state, the fuser driver performs a phase control on the power being provided to the heating element using AC power of sections other than a phase angle of a range predetermined based on a peak voltage value of the external AC power.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.Inventors: Young-jun Song, Chang-su Ma, Sung-kyu Choi
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Patent number: 10061235Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt that is multilayered, an opposing rotator disposed opposite the fixing belt and pressed to the fixing belt to form a nip, a heater disposed inside the fixing belt, and a safety device including a contactless temperature sensor disposed outside the fixing belt and apart from an outer face of the fixing. The fixing belt is to rotate and thermally expand. The contactless temperature sensor detects a temperature of the fixing belt. The safety device stops heating by the heater when the temperature detected by the contactless temperature sensor is at or higher than a predetermined temperature. As the outer face of the fixing belt shifts outward in the radial direction due to thermal, a proportion of the outer face of the fixing belt in a viewing angle of the contactless temperature sensor increases.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Keitaro Shoji, Yasunori Ishigaya, Kazuya Saito, Ryohei Matsuda, Hiromasa Takagi, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Toshihiko Shimokawa
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Patent number: 10054885Abstract: A pressure and pressure relief device includes a rotator, a pressure body, a first pressure lever, and a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism includes a first elastic body, a second pressure lever, a cam, and a cam follower. A relations of L1>L3, L2>L4, and L3<L4 are satisfied. L1 represents a length between a first fulcrum of the first pressure lever and a point of load of the first pressure lever. L2 represents a length between the point of load of the first pressure lever and a hook portion of the first pressure lever. L3 represents a length between a pivot of the second pressure lever and a second fulcrum of the second pressure lever. L4 represents a length between the second fulcrum of the second pressure lever and a fastened portion of the second pressure lever.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Jun Okamoto, Yoshio Hattori, Yuusuke Furuichi, Haruyuki Honda, Kiwako Hiroi, Kenichi Hasegawa
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Patent number: 10025248Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an input portion into which a job is to be input, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material to execute the job input into the input portion, a fixing portion configured to fix, on the recording material, the toner image formed by the image forming portion, the fixing portion being capable of being replaced with another fixing portion depending on a content of the job, a selecting portion configured to prompt an operator to select one of a plurality of modes before a plurality of jobs are successively reserved, and a controller configured to control the execution order of reserved jobs. The controller can change the execution order of the plurality of jobs so as to decrease the number of times of replacement of the fixing portion, or the controller can maintain the execution order of the plurality of jobs in a reserved order.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama
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Patent number: 10012933Abstract: A fixing device having a fixing member heated from a heating member, and a pressing member in pressurized contact with the fixing member, formed with a contact portion either at the fixing member or at the pressing member, wherein the fixing member and the pressing member are driven only in an amount equal to or less than a width of the contact portion at every time when a certain period elapses, during a waiting state in which the fixing member and the pressing member are stopped from being driven, and in which the heating member is heating the fixing member.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: OKI DATA CORPORATIONInventor: Masahiro Haruyama
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Patent number: 10007214Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveying device; a fixing device; and a controller. The controller is configured to perform: in response to determining that a first condition is met, starting sheet conveyance by the sheet conveying device upon expiration of a first predetermined period of time starting from receipt of a print instruction; and in response to determining that a second condition different from the first condition is met, starting sheet conveyance by the sheet conveying device at selective one of a first timing and a second timing. The second timing is selected upon determination that an accumulated amount of usage of the fixing device is not greater than a predetermined amount. The first timing is a timing at which a sensed temperature has reached a first threshold value. The second timing is a timing at which a second predetermine period of time has expired after the first timing.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2017Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiko Kamo, Kei Ishida
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Patent number: 9996044Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit, a controller, and a fixing unit including a heater. The process unit is configured to form a developer image on a sheet. The heater is configured to be applied with an AC voltage, and to heat the sheet to thereby fix the developer image to the sheet. The controller is configured to perform: executing a continuous supply control in which the heater is continuously energized; acquiring an initial voltage dropping level of the AC voltage and a recovery time during the executing the continuous supply control; and setting a power supply control to control energization of the heater for starting up the heater on the basis of the acquired initial voltage dropping level and the acquired recovery time.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2017Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Naoya Yada
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Patent number: 9952538Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including a roller, a heating rotary member heating the roller, and a backup member forming a nip portion, a temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the heating rotary member, and a control unit for controlling power so that the detected temperature is maintained at a target temperature, wherein a print job includes a first step in which the unfixed toner image is formed on the recording material, a second step in which fixing processing is executed, and a third step in which the fixing unit is cleaned, and wherein the third step is executed following the second step, and in the third step, while the target temperature is set higher than the target temperature in the second step, the roller and the heating rotary member are rotated in a state where no recording material is present at the nip portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoshi Nishida, Isamu Takeda, Akimichi Suzuki, Shogo Kan, Kazuhiro Doda, Takanori Mitani
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Patent number: 9950545Abstract: A drying device for drying a recording medium is provided. The drying device includes a plurality of heating roller units independently detachable from the drying device. The heating roller units includes at least one upstream heating roller unit disposed upstream relative to a conveyance direction of the recording medium and at least two downstream heating roller units disposed downstream relative to the conveyance direction of the recording medium. Each upstream heating roller unit includes an upstream heating roller, two upstream temperature detectors, and two upstream controllers. The upstream heating roller includes two upstream heat sources having different heating areas. The two upstream temperature detectors are disposed at respective end parts of the upstream heating roller, to detect temperatures of the respective upstream heat sources to output signals.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Toshihiro Yoshinuma
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Patent number: 9927748Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotatable endless fixing belt; a nip forming member arranged inside the fixing belt; a facing rotating body that abuts the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip portion with the fixing belt; a heat source that directly heats up the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip portion; and a supporting member that supports the nip forming member. The fixing device conveys a recording medium carrying an unfixed image to the nip portion to fix the unfixed image to the recording medium, and the supporting member includes a rising portion extending in an abutting direction of the facing rotating body against the fixing belt and having a tip close to an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt, and is set to have a section modulus of 200 mm3 or higher.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Masahiko Satoh, Masaaki Yoshikawa, Kenji Ishii, Tadashi Ogawa, Hiromasa Takagi, Naoki Iwaya, Takuya Seshita, Takahiro Imada, Hajime Gotoh, Akira Suzuki, Teppei Kawata, Toshihiko Shimokawa, Arinobu Yoshiura, Takamasa Hase, Takeshi Uchitani, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kensuke Yamaji
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Patent number: 9915908Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power supply voltage detector, a power supply cycle detector, a voltage converter, and a controller. The power supply voltage detector detects a power supply voltage value of a commercial alternating-current voltage. The power supply cycle detector detects a power supply cycle of the commercial alternating-current voltage. The voltage converter performs switching of the commercial alternating-current voltage, and thereby converts the commercial alternating-current voltage into a heater alternating-current voltage to be applied to a heater. The controller controls the voltage converter and thereby generates the heater alternating-current voltage, on a basis of the power supply voltage value detected by the power supply voltage detector and the power supply cycle detected by the power supply cycle detector.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Toru Kosaka
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Patent number: 9915898Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an operating state and a non-operating state with power consumption smaller than in the operating state. The image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device for thermally fixing a toner image on a print material; an execution unit for executing warm-up to heat the fixing device up to a printable temperature for fixing the toner image on the print material, upon power-on or in shifting from the non-operating state to the operating state; and a temperature control unit for maintaining a waiting state to keep the fixing device at the printable temperature or higher, after completion of warm-up or printing. The temperature control unit increases the temperature of the fixing device higher in a waiting state after printing a predetermined number of times since power-on or in a waiting state after the non-operating state for a predetermined time or longer, than in any other waiting state.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Yutaka Otsuka, Masashi Saito
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Patent number: 9915897Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member including a base layer, first and second electroconductive layers and a plurality of heat generating resistors provided on the base layer and having a volume resistivity smaller than a volume resistivity of the base layer; a temperature detecting member; and an electrode member. The heat generating resistors are provided helically around the base layer so that a helical axis thereof extends along the longitudinal direction of the rotatable member, and are disposed with intervals. One end and the other end of each of the heat generating resistors are electrically connected with the first and the second electroconductive layers, respectively. A temperature detecting region of the rotatable member by the temperature detecting member overlaps with the heat generating resistors.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Narahara, Takeshi Shinji, Toru Imaizumi, Kazuhiro Doda, Kohei Wakatsu
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Patent number: 9910399Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention includes a plurality of image forming units and a changeover unit. The plurality of image forming units form multicolor images on an image carrier by overlapping, on a medium, developer images developed using developers. The changeover unit changes a layer overlapping sequence of the developer images on the medium. The developers include a developer emitting light according to radiation of non-visible light, and the changeover unit changes the layer overlapping sequence of the developer images using the developer emitting the light according to radiation of the non-visible light.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Koji Ida
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Patent number: 9891566Abstract: A fixing device according to an embodiment includes a first rotating body, a pressing unit, an urging member, a base body section, a screw shaft section, and a rotation regulating section. The pressing unit includes a belt, a second rotating body, and a supporting frame. The supporting frame supports the second rotating body. The urging member urges the pressing unit in a direction in which the second rotating body approaches the first rotating body. The base body section is rotatable around an axis. The shape of a cross section of the base body section orthogonal to an axial direction is a noncircular shape. The screw shaft section projects from the base body section and regulates a movement of the pressing unit in a direction in which the pressing unit approaches the first rotating body. The rotation regulating section comes into contact with the outer surface of the base body section to regulate the rotation of the base body section.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2017Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kazutoshi Takahashi
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Patent number: 9880498Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: one or more image formation units; one or more heaters; a first voltage converter which generates a direct first voltage based on an alternating external input voltage inputted from outside of the first voltage converter; a second voltage converter which generates an alternating second voltage based on the first voltage, the second voltage supplying alternating-current power to the one more heaters; a third voltage converter which generates a third voltage based on the first voltage, the third voltage being used to drive at least the one or more heaters; a controller which performs an operation control of reducing power consumption in at least the one or more heaters when the external input voltage decreases to a range of a first threshold or lower and higher than a second threshold and/or when a load change of the first voltage converter is lower than a third threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Shuichi Suzuki, Toru Kosaka
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Patent number: 9874851Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a fixing device, and a latching member. The fixing device is disposed in the apparatus main body. The latching member is disposed at the apparatus main body. The fixing device includes a fixing device main body and a fixing device cover. The fixing device cover is disposed over the fixing device main body in an openable and closable manner. The fixing device cover includes a fixing device cover main body and a to-be-latched portion. The fixing device cover is disposed over the fixing device main body in an openable and closable manner. The to-be-latched portion is disposed at the fixing device cover main body. In a situation in which the fixing device cover is opened, the to-be-latched portion is latched by the latching member.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Tomohiro Watatani
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Patent number: 9857736Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image processing apparatus comprises a human sensor, a fixing device and a controller. The human sensor detects a person in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus. The fixing device carries out fixation of an image formed with a decolorable recording agent serving as a recording agent containing a coloring agent which is decolored through heating on a medium and decoloration of the image formed on the medium. The controller controls the fixing device to stop the decoloration of the image when the person is detected by the human sensor.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takeharu Shokai
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Patent number: 9829838Abstract: An image forming apparatus fixes a toner image, in which plural layers constituted from toners with different low-temperature storage elastic moduli as measured in the temperature range of 30° C. or more and 50° C. or less are superposed on each other, to a medium. The image forming apparatus changes the fixing temperature in accordance with the order of superposition of the plural layers.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Yasumitsu Harashima
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Patent number: 9824306Abstract: An image forming apparatus operable in a first power state and a second power state in which power consumption is lower than in the first power state includes a return notification unit that outputs a return notification aggregating return factors in a case where at least one of a plurality of predetermined return factors causing the image forming apparatus to return to the first power state from the second power state has occurred in the second power state, a retaining unit that retains a return factor, and a control unit that returns the image forming apparatus to the first power state from the second power state according to the return notification and acquires the return factor retained by the retaining unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masakazu Kitora
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Patent number: 9817345Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium is conveyed, a moving device to move the pressure rotator in directions in which the pressure rotator comes into contact with and separates from the fixing rotator, a thermal expansion amount predictor to predict an amount of thermal expansion of the fixing rotator while the recording medium is conveyed, and a nip width adjuster to control a moving distance of the pressure rotator moved by the moving device toward the fixing rotator, depending on the amount of thermal expansion of the fixing rotator predicted by the thermal expansion amount predictor, so as to adjust a width of the fixing nip to maintain a substantially constant width of the fixing nip.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Motoyoshi Yamano, Tetsuo Tokuda, Yoshikuni Sasaki, Hiroshi Ono, Hironori Yamaoka, Ryohhei Sugiyama, Kohichi Utsunomiya, Arinobu Yoshiura, Hideo Nagafuji
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Patent number: 9661180Abstract: An approach is provided for processing pattern data which corresponds to a type of visual effect that is obtained by applying a transparent material to a recording medium to which colored material is applied according to image data. Arrangement information indicating, for example, an area of the image data relative to the recording medium is employed when calculating a magnification to be applied to a size of the pattern data. Further, the image data is converted in accordance with the calculated magnification, and an image is formed on the recording medium by using the converted image data and the magnified (reduced or enlarged) pattern data.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Takanori Itoh
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Patent number: 9618890Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, a separation member and a separation/contact mechanism. The fixing member and the pressure member are provided so as to separate away from or come in contact with each other and to form a fixing nip. The fixing member has a flexibility and is deformable by separating away from or coming in contact with the pressure member. The separation member is disposed to face the fixing member and configured to separate a sheet passed through the fixing nip from the fixing member. The separation/contact mechanism is configured to support the separation member such that a fixing member side edge portion of the separation member is deformed along the fixing member in synchronization with the separating and contacting of the fixing member and the pressure member.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Akihiro Kondo
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Patent number: 9568868Abstract: Heat-equalizing rotation of a fixing member and a pressing member for equalizing the distribution of the temperature of a surface of the fixing member in a width direction is performed after a recording medium having a size less than or equal to a predetermined size in the width direction passes a nip portion and before a recording medium having a size greater than the predetermined size in the width direction passes the nip portion. Further, a termination condition of the heat-equalizing rotation is selected from among a plurality of different kinds of termination conditions, based on image formation related information related to next image formation performed after the heat-equalizing rotation.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2013Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Shinichi Namekata, Takeshi Uchitani, Takamasa Hase, Shuutaroh Yuasa, Kazuya Saito, Ryota Yamashina, Ippei Fujimoto, Hiroshi Seo, Takumi Waida
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Patent number: 9557694Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit including first and second photosensitive members, and first and second developer carriers; a re-conveyance mechanism configured to convey a recording sheet discharged from the image forming unit towards the image forming unit; a separation/stop mechanism configured to switch a developing unit between an image formation mode in which the first developer carrier contacts the first photosensitive member and a separation mode in which the first developer carrier is separated from the first photosensitive member and the second developer carrier is separated from the second photosensitive member, and a control device configured to switch the developing unit from the image formation mode to the separation mode while the re-conveyance mechanism conveys a first recording sheet after the image forming unit forms an image on a first surface of the first recording sheet.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2015Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yasuhiro Suzuki
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Patent number: 9550376Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a dryer that heats and dries a print base material on which a print image is formed in a printing unit. The dryer includes a rotational drum that supports and transports the print base material, and a blower unit that blows hot air to the print base material supported by the rotational drum. The dryer includes a movement unit that displaces the blower unit to a first position which allows the print base material to be heated and to a second position which is away from the print base material while maintaining the blower unit in operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Jun Yamada, Akihiro Toya
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Patent number: 9501007Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material has an image forming unit configured to form the toner image on the recording material; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording material while heating and conveying the recording material bearing the toner image at a nip portion, the fixing unit including a heating rotation member and a roller forming the nip portion with the heating rotation member; and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a potential difference between a surface of the heating rotation member and a surface of the roller, wherein a plurality of print modes different in conveyance speed of the recording material at the nip portion are carried out, and wherein the voltage applying unit applies the potential difference smaller in a first print mode than the potential difference in a second print mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2016Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eiji Uekawa, Hiroshi Kataoka, Keisuke Mochizuki, Naoto Tsuchihashi
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Patent number: 9481193Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment comprises a first image forming section configured to form an image on a recording medium with a non-erasable material, and a second image forming section configured to form an image on the recording medium with an erasable material. The image forming apparatus further comprises a control section configured to separate image data according to attributes of the image data into first image data to be printed on the recording medium in the first image forming section and second image data to be printed on the recording medium in the second image forming section.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Norifumi Yagi, Takao Ishida, Kanya Hiroi, Mamoru Nomura
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Patent number: 9477185Abstract: Provided is a heater controlling unit that includes: a power factor correction circuit configured to convert a first alternating-current voltage supplied from a power supply into a direct-current voltage; an inverter configured to generate a second alternating-current voltage from the direct-current voltage converted by the power factor correction circuit; and a heater to which the second alternating-current voltage generated by the inverter is applied.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Oki Data CorporationInventors: Toru Kosaka, Eiji Wagatsuma, Akira Hagiwara
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Patent number: 9477182Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member; an opposing member that provides a fixing nip with the fixing member; a heating unit that heats the fixing member; a heating area changing member that moves to change a heating area of the fixing member heated by the heating unit; and a position detection sensor that detects a position of the heating area changing member. The fixing device controls a stop position of the heating area changing member based on detection by the position detection sensor. The single position detection sensor detects the position of the heating area changing member both when the heating area changing member is moving from a preset reference position to an arbitrary position and when the heating area changing member is moving back from an arbitrary position to the reference position.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Ikebuchi, Hideo Nagafuji, Yuji Arai, Kohichi Utsunomiya, Arinobu Yoshiura, Kiho Sai, Motoyoshi Yamano, Shohei Saito
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Patent number: 9471013Abstract: Depending on an output impedance of a commercial AC power supply calculated by an output impedance calculating unit, a control unit controls the supply of power so that the current of a first waveform pattern, capable of supplying an amount of power to be supplied to a heat generating member determined based on temperature information and capable of supplying power such that a harmonic current value is suppressed to be smaller than a predetermined value, flows into the heat generating member, or the control unit controls the supply of power so that the current of a second waveform pattern, capable of supplying an amount of power to be supplied to the heat generating member based on the temperature information and capable of supplying power such that the value of a flicker Pst is suppressed to be smaller than a predetermined value, flows into the heat generating member.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2015Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroki Asano
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Patent number: 9465337Abstract: An image forming apparatus, upon receipt of an image formation request, controls execution of a second preparatory operation that needs to be performed so that the image forming unit is capable of performing image formation and, independently of the image formation request, controls execution of a first preparatory operation for preparation for the image forming unit before the second preparatory operation. The first and second preparatory operations are accompanied by driving of a photosensitive body. Further, the image forming apparatus, when the image formation request is received by the reception unit before completion of the first preparatory operation, determines whether the second preparatory operation is to be performed after the first preparatory operation without stopping driving of the photosensitive body or after the first preparatory operation by stopping driving of the photosensitive body, in accordance with content of image formation performed in response to the image formation request.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoto Watanabe, Hiroyuki Eda, Yuichi Yamamoto, Hidenori Matsumoto
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Patent number: 9451111Abstract: A method of determining a media class using an optical translucence sensor (OTS) in an imaging device. A media sheet for processing by a media processing device (MPD) in the imaging device passes through an OTS positioned on a media path prior to the MPD. The OTS has an output that is periodically sampled in several predefined interest zones to provide a plurality of intrinsic variables related to the media sheet. The intrinsic variables are combined with extrinsic variables to form a variables data set that is normalized then fed to a controller having a predefined set of media class determining equations for determining a media class for the media sheet. A media class determining equation is provided for each class of media expected to be used in the imaging device. The determined media class is then used to set one or more operating parameters for the media processing device.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2015Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Ryan Thomas Bradley, James Lee Combs, Niko Jay Murrell, Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Daniel Steinberg, Julie Ann Gordon Whitney
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Patent number: 9417578Abstract: An object of the present invention is intended to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method through which an effect of granting flavor to a printing object is excellent. In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a developing device and a fixing device. A toner is housed in the developing device. The fixing device includes a fixing roller and a pressure roller. The toner contains binder resin and a microcapsule in which perfume is encapsulated. A glass transition temperature of the toner is below 60 degrees centigrade. A nip part is formed by the fixing roller and the pressure roller. A pressure applied to an image receiving medium passing through the nip part is below 0.19 N/mm2.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Taishi Takano, Maiko Yoshida, Satoshi Araki, Takashi Urabe
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Patent number: RE46634Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a heat roller, an endless belt, a first press roller and a second press roller. The heat roller rotates and contacts a toner surface side of a sheet, and heats the sheet. The endless belt contacts a part of an outer peripheral surface of the heat roller. The first press roller contacts a part of an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, and is provided at an insertion part of the sheet in a nip portion where the heat roller contacts the endless belt. The second press roller contacts a part of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, is provided at an exit part of the sheet in the nip portion, and has a lower rotational resistance than the first press roller.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazutoshi Takahashi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Ryota Saeki, Shoko Shimmura, Toshihiro Sone